Biodiversity amazes us every day for its great capacity to rise from the ashes and give a second chance to those species that were thought to be almost extinct. It’s enough to give the planet the right conditions and let nature take back control for it to work its magic and restore the ecosystems that humanity has damaged. The latest news on animals returning from extinction gives a ray of hope for preserving their conservation.
Tasmanian devils and turtles are attracting attention for their population increase, and if the necessary efforts continue, these animals could see a stable growth and be considered to have returned from extinction. Although everything will depend on the actions that are implemented and the continuity of these, to see these species flourish again.
Tasmanian devils
Unsplash: Kunal Kalra
Tasmanian devils became extinct in the wild in Australia after the arrival of dingoes, a species of wild dog. They ended up confined to the island of Tasmania, where they lived wild. However, a contagious cancer disease known as Devil’s Facial Tumor Disease attacked 90% of the remaining population, since the contagion was discovered in 1996. But after three thousand years of not being born in the wild in Australia, seven Tasmanian devil pups were born in the country. This news astonished the world and gave hope for the life of the species.
Sables
The marten, which is a relative species of weasel, began to disappear from their natural habitat in British forests in the 20th century, which led to a rise in gray squirrels who are the martens’ main predators. In a vicious circle, martens almost perished to their predators, but recent conservation programs have released 18 martens into the wild in the Forest of Dean. Further releases are planned in the coming years.
Cheetahs
Pexels: Pixabay
Hunting and habitat loss are the greatest dangers facing most species and the cheetah is no exception. They disappeared from India and 90% of their former habitat in Africa. But conservationists in Malawi have not given up on the status of the cheetah and have managed to reintroduce it to Liwonde National Park.
Large blue butterflies
With the expansion of the urban sprawl, large blue butterflies have been extinct in the wild for more than 40 years. But recently they were reintroduced to the wild and the effort proved successful. 750 specimens of this beautiful insect appeared in the southwest of England.
Grey wolves
Unsplash: M L
The gray wolf nearly became extinct from its natural habitat, which was severely affected by the absence of these canines. Yellowstone National Park has invested great efforts to restore gray wolf populations and they have succeeded. However, they still face danger from ranchers who do not like the presence of wolves.
New Guinea highland dog
Believed extinct from their habitat for half a century, the only singing dogs on record are those bred in captivity. Recent research has shown that this subspecies of wolves continues to inhabit the mountains.
Galapagos tortoises
Pexels: Jose Aragones
These giant tortoises that inhabited Galapagos Island were thought to be extinct for more than a century. However, a few years ago, in 2019, what appeared to be a tortoise of the subspecies was sighted in the wild. Hopes were rekindled, back then there was no confirmation of the fact, but now, the expected confirmation has finally arrived. It is indeed a Galapagos tortoise.
Coronella austriaca snakes
Due to habitat loss in the rural areas of southern England, the Coronella austriaca, best know as the smooth snake, became extinct in the wild, becoming the rarest snake in the country. Conservation programs are now in place and after many years of effort, it was finally reintroduced to Devon. The people of the surrounding area are trying to better understand the importance of the species and to preserve their ecosystems.
Przewalski’s horses
Unsplash: Tengis Galamez
This equine species, the descendant of the first domesticated horses, almost became extinct in the 20th century. It disappeared from its natural habitats and only specimens kept in captivity remained. Recently, some specimens have been released in Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan, in fact, they live in the wild in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Unfortunately, they are still among the species listed as critically endangered and more efforts are needed to bring them back to a healthy population.
Text courtesy of Ecoosfera
Cover photo from Pexels: Pixabay
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